Anxiety
by MyFaction
Summary: Chloe struggles with anxiety before auditioning for Miss National Soloist and Daniel helps her through it.
1. Chapter 1: Believe

**Chloe POV:  
**"Okay, so who wants to put their name down for Miss National Soloist?" Kate asks looking around. Nobody says anything. "Nobody?" Kate says shocked.  
Still no response, which surprises me because Michelle won Miss National Soloist once before I thought she'd like to do it again; although it's understandable if she just wants to focus on her duet with Eldon.  
"Alright," Kate continues, "If anybody changes their mind, come and see me okay."  
A bubble of excitement rises in me, 'What if I do it?' I think before reality hits me. There is no way that I can find the confidence to do that. Plus it's a lot of pressure. Pressure that I don't need.  
_

After dance Giselle and I head down to Culture Shock to hang out. When Giselle is ordering our drinks I feel a tugging at the hem of my shirt. I turn around to see Margie standing there, I jump.  
"What are you doing here by yourself?" I ask her, concerned.  
"I'm not alone." She says confidently. "My Mum's over there." She points across the room to a women talking to her friend.  
I breathe a sigh of relief.  
"I heard that Miss Kate needs someone to do the girls solo at nationals." She says moving her body side to side.  
"She does." I confirm. "Are you going to do it?" I say, jokingly.  
"No Silly!" Margie says, playfully slapping my arm. "I think that _you_ should do it."  
"What? No, no I can't do it. I'm not good enough, I can't audition." I say panicked.  
"You're my dance teacher and a _really_ good dancer. You just need to believe in yourself." Margie insists. "You never know until you try."


	2. Chapter 2: Competitor

**Chloe POV:**  
After Giselle and I have said goodbye I walk back to The Next Step studio to see Kate. I stand out in the hallway trying to find my courage and think of what I'm going to say. Suddenly, I hear James's voice coming from Studio B and two pairs of footsteps. I freak out not wanting anyone to know that I'm here and before I know it I'm in the doorway to Kate's office. I see Kate talking to Michelle, _'Maybe she hasn't seen me'_ I think and I turn around to leave, but Kate sees me.  
"Chloe, can I help you?" Kate asks.  
"Ah no, I um, ah." I begin, but I begin to collect myself, "Actually yes." I say, doing my best to sound confident. "I would like to audition for Miss National Soloist."  
Kate's eyes light up. "Chloe that's great!" Kate gasps. "But, you'll have some competition though." She says looking at Michelle. A twinge of panic rushes through me.  
"I'm not going to go easy on you, you know?" Michelle says playfully.  
"Well, neither am I." I laugh, feeling a little calmer.  
Michele stands up and gives me a big hug and we walk out of Kate's office with our arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.


	3. Chapter 3: Second thoughts

**Chloe POV:**  
I stay late at the studio so I can choreograph my audition piece. I'm starting to feel even more nervous about auditioning. Negative thoughts race through my head as I dance, making me feel like I'm not good enough to audition. _'NO! Chloe you can do this, you can do this."_  
I continue to practice in Studio B when Daniel walks in.  
"Hey," He says, "I heard music. I thought you'd gone home."  
"No, I'm choreographing my audition piece."  
"You're auditioning!" Daniel exclaims. "Wow Chlo, that's amazing!"  
"Yeah, well I...I'm kind of having second thoughts about it." I say, feeling like I need to get my predicament off my chest.  
"What do you mean?" Daniel asks confused.  
"I'm not good enough. I mean what was I _thinking_ competing against Michelle anyway, she's won Miss National Soloist before-she's one of the best dancers in the studio. Plus it's just going to look like I have this massive ego being the girl that never showed up to dance going up against the dance captain. I can't, I just can't do this!" I vent.  
"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe." Daniel says slowly whilst shaking his head. "You're the only one who is thinking like that. It's really cool that you're competing against Michelle, and her being the dance captain has absolutely nothing to do with it."  
"And what about Miss National Soloist." I ask, slightly calmer."She's had experience competing for that before."  
"So what, you've competed with your solos before, plus you've probably done more professional auditions than Michelle has." Daniel states. He looks at me, seeing the fear in my eyes he says, "Do you want me to see your dance?"  
"Kay..." I say uneasily, my hands fold over my stomach and my eyebrows are still knitted together. I quickly glance at Daniel, I see the empathetic smile on his face before I look away again.  
"It's alright Chlo, it's alright." He repeats.  
I start the music, I feel scared that Daniel might laugh at me, but deep down I know he won't. And somewhere deep, deep inside me is excited to dance just in front of Daniel.


	4. Chapter 4: You've got this

**Chloe POV:**  
I'm freaking out. It's five minutes until Michelle and I have to audition for our solos.  
_"What have I gotten myself into?"_ I think aloud. _"What did you do Chloe, what did you do?"_  
I'm pacing outside Studio A trying to collect myself when the door to the studio opens and Daniel walks out.  
"There you are. What are you doing out here?" He asks.  
"Hiding." I reply nervously.  
"Why are you so scared?" He asks almost sympathetically.  
I shrug as I lean against the wall. "There's just so many things that could go wrong." I say my voice breaks, I tilt my head up to the ceiling to avoid making eye contact with Daniel and stop the tears from falling.  
"Chloe look at me for a sec." He says. I shake my head and purse my lips. Daniel steps closer to me and puts his hand on my shoulder. An unwanted sob escapes me, causing Daniel to pull me into hug. I cry into his shoulder as my nerves overwhelm me. Daniel doesn't stay anything he just stands there rubbing my back and rocking us gently from side to side. I finally will myself to stop crying and a nervous laugh escapes me, "Urgh, I feel like such an idiot." I say as I wipe my eyes.  
"It's okay, we've all been here before." Daniel smiles. "What's the reason why you are doing this?"He continues.  
"Because Margie said that I just need to believe in myself and that I'll never know until I try."  
Daniel lets out a little laugh. "So you're telling me that a five year old said that to you and you're not going to believe it?" He smiles and I feel a smile stretch across my face too.

"Alright! Gather round!" Kate announces from inside the studio.  
My breath catches and I feel a surge of panic rush through my veins.  
"Look at me Chlo, don't panic, you're going to be just fine." Daniel says calmly. I slowly nod as I try to believe it. "Come on bring it in." Daniel says as he opens his arms. When we embrace again and he says, "You've got this. Go out there and floor it."


	5. Chapter 5: Audition

**Chloe POV:**  
"Okay, Chloe you're up first." Kate says, looking directly at me.  
I uneasily step forward with butterflies in my stomach. I can feel everybody's eyes on me. My legs are shaking and my palms are sweating like crazy and I swear everyone can hear my heart thumping in my chest. I shake before I get into my starting position, hoping that it will release some of my nerves. I can hear A-Troupe clapping for me, cheering me on, but that only marginally boosts my confidence.

The music starts and feel another wave of adrenaline rush through me, for a split second I forgot the beginning of my routine, but before I panic my body moves and the choreography comes flooding back to me. Throughout the dance my body feels more in control and less shaky. With every movement my anxiety washes away. As my dance continues I feel my body expression get bigger and bigger, I smile as anxiety converts to confidence. While my dance continues I feel my smile stretch even wider and I almost squeak out of excitement as the music builds intensity. I look at A-Troupe's reflection in the mirror, they all clap and move to the music as I dance. I look at Daniels reflection he look ecstatic and our eyes catch each other's in the mirror and a silent squeak escapes my lips. Finally, when the music fades out I almost feel sad that it's over.

I walk back into the bunch of A-Troupers, receiving claps on my back, a few high fives and a lot of really nice comments. Michelle runs up and leaps on to me in an embrace.  
"That was _amazing_!" She says amazed.  
"Thank you!" I reply with a massive smile plastered on my face. "I was really scared." I admit.  
"Well, you certainly didn't look it!" Michelle insists.  
We laugh together.

I'm scared watching Michelle's audition; her dance is amazing and it totally reflects why she was Miss National Soloist before. Everybody is enjoying her routine, she has put all her best tricks in it and if she is nervous nobody notices.


	6. Chapter 6: Daniel

**A/N:** I am very sorry to say that this entry is the end of this story as Chloe has overcome her anxiety issues. I am very sad that this story has come to an end as it is very personal to me as I suffered from anxiety issues myself.

**Chloe POV:  
**"Can I just start by staying that both of the duets that we saw today were phenomenal. Chloe that was the best I have ever seen you dance." Kate says looking at me and the rest of A-Troupe starts to clap. "And Michelle it was good to see you do some new tricks. You both deserve to be Miss National Soloist." A-Troupe erupts in cheers again. "But sadly we can only have one winner and that _is_...drum roll please!" Kate says enthusiastically. Butterflies rise in my stomach while A Troupe either pats their legs or stamp their feet to make as much noise as possible.  
"Michelle!" Kate announces gesturing in her direction. I breathe a sigh of relief as the pressure fades away-I'm kind of glad that I didn't get the solo.  
"Oh my..." She gasps excitedly.  
We all cheer for her and she comes over to me and gives me a big hug.  
"Congratulations!" I say feeling completely happy for her.  
"Thank you!" She says breathlessly. "You did so well though."  
"Thanks." I say as she walks off to talk to Kate in her office.

A lot of the excitement dies down after Michelle and Kate have left.  
I'm about to walk over to Daniel who is talking with Giselle, Amanda and Thalia, but Riley and James come over to me.  
"Yo Chlo, your solo was sick as man." James says to me.  
"Your dance was so cool, I loved the bit when you did your aerial into the splits." Riley says smiling as she gives me a hug before walking off with James to talk to West, Hunter and Eldon.  
I see Daniel standing all alone now so I walk over to him.  
"Second the best." He says embracing me. I laugh at his unique sense of logic.  
Daniel leans in closer and whispers in my ear. "For the record, I think your dance was better than Michelle's." Then he leans back again with a smile.  
"Really?" I say, our eyes meeting.  
"Yeah...yeah I really did." Daniel says slowly as if he's in a trance.  
I look into his eyes as an airy feeling sweeps over us. All of a sudden Daniel leans forward and kisses me. I close my eyes in pure happiness. I can feel his nose on my and his arms still wrapped delicately around my waist and shoulder. He pulls me closer and his hand caresses my shoulder blade. As we kiss A-Troupe grows quiet despite a few wolf whistles from the boys-most likely James. When I open my eyes I see that Kate and Michelle have returned and Phoebe has entered the room as well. The majority of the studio is steering at us gobsmacked with their mouths wide open or smiles creeping onto their faces. I feel heat rushing to my cheeks and then after a few more seconds of awkward silence Studio A explodes into cheers. Daniel and I both smile, still wrapped in each other's arms. We burry our faces into each other's shoulder. I cannot believe what just happened. My first kiss. 


End file.
